Historic Catholic church in California vandalized; 231-year-old artifacts damaged

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sedonaman said:
Imagine Janet Reno as attorney general and a black church got vandalized.
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I think the only time the US Department of Justice has gotten involved in such cases is when it involved arson or explosives or similar violence, not simply vandalism.
 
Isn’t Mission Santa Cruz part of the state park’s system? so how was it vandalized?
 
America is entering into a dark and unexplored destiny of atheism & hate.
I fear for the future of our nation when vandals desecrate a Church in such fashion.
 
I find the physical reality of this act very symbolic of the spiritual desecration still being done within the Church today.
 
independentDemo said:
America is entering into a dark and unexplored destiny of atheism & hate.
I fear for the future of our nation when vandals desecrate a Church in such fashion.
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One American bishop recently remarked that he expected to die in bed, his successor would die in prison, and his successor’s successor would die a martyr in the public square.
 
News Update

Threatening letters left at Holy Cross Church in Santa Cruz, a week after widespread vandalism
Santa Cruz police said the typed letters were found about 6:30 a.m. near the main door of the church at 126 High St. The writer used similar language to anti-Catholic graffiti left on the building earlier this month, said Santa Cruz police spokesman Zach Friend.
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Police believe the letters and the vandalism are linked. The letters were given to the state Department of Justice to collect potential forensic evidence.
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Church leaders estimated at least $22,000 in damage from the May 6 incident at Holy Cross Church and Mission Santa Cruz. It included at least $10,000 damage in shattered windows, spray-painted doors, walls, statues and sidewalks. Some anti-church slogans and symbols were painted, police said.
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mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20628501/threatening-letters-left-at-holy-cross-church-santa

The stone baptismal font, which was brought by Junipero Serra in 1791, can be restored at a cost in excess of $12,000. However, chunks of it were knocked out and its unclear how much new material will be needed.

The news article has a couple grainy B/W photos of the suspect, taken by a security camera.
 
To the Modern Liberal, indiscriminateness is a moral imperative, and the only way for him to be moral is not to discriminate between right and wrong, good and evil, better and worse, truth and lies, because an act of discrimination might be a reflection of personal bigotry. Indiscriminateness is a moral imperative because its opposite is the evil of having discriminated.

When we fail to discriminate between good and evil, right and wrong, and the behaviors that lead to success and those that lead to failure, we do not end up being objective, neutral, tolerant, or even indifferent; we end up hating what is good, right, and successful. We have seen this pattern over an over. The idea that one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter has led to a resurgence of anti-Semitism; the belief that America is no better than any other country has led to hatred of America. We are now seeing this hatred manifesting itself against the Catholic Church.
 
sedonaman said:
To the Modern Liberal, indiscriminateness is a moral imperative, and the only way for him to be moral is not to discriminate between right and wrong, good and evil, better and worse, truth and lies, because an act of discrimination might be a reflection of personal bigotry. Indiscriminateness is a moral imperative because its opposite is the evil of having discriminated.

When we fail to discriminate between good and evil, right and wrong, and the behaviors that lead to success and those that lead to failure, we do not end up being objective, neutral, tolerant, or even indifferent; we end up hating what is good, right, and successful. We have seen this pattern over an over. The idea that one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter has led to a resurgence of anti-Semitism; the belief that America is no better than any other country has led to hatred of America. We are now seeing this hatred manifesting itself against the Catholic Church.
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Do not be quick to assume the liberals were behind this. It could simply be the common class of thug.

Secondly, your implication that America is “better than any than any other country”, and that denying this “has led to hatred of America” is really something I would like to question, but alas, this is neither time or place for such a discussion.

Instead, let us focus our minds on supporting the parish community and praying for the perpetrators of this heinous offence.
 
Filii_Dei said:
Do not be quick to assume the liberals were behind this. It could simply be the common class of thug.
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They certainly weren’t conservative thugs.
Secondly, your implication that America is “better than any than any other country”, and that denying this “has led to hatred of America” is really something I would like to question, but alas, this is neither time or place for such a discussion.
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I don’t think you understood my point.
 
The culprit still hasn’t been caught, but there is some good news to report:

Donations flood Holy Cross Church after vandalism: Other faith groups lend a hand
Holy Cross leaders said there was no formal drive for donations, yet news of the vandalism spread quickly in faith circles.
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Leaders at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Santa Cruz appealed for donations in its bulletin. Checks came from Twin Lakes Church and Resurrection Catholic Church, both in Aptos, and from many individual donors, Occhiuto said.
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Rabbi Richard Litvak of Temple Beth El in Aptos said he planned to mention Holy Cross’ vandalism during worship in May, yet his congregation was already asking how they could help. The reaction from the temple’s members was “immediate and visceral,” in part because they too were victims of vandalism, Litvak said,
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mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20936119/donations-flood-holy-cross-church-after-vandalism-other

Donations of about $10,000, roughly half the cost to repair the damage, had been received as of three weeks ago.
 
sedonaman said:
To the Modern Liberal, indiscriminateness is a moral imperative, and the only way for him to be moral is not to discriminate between right and wrong, good and evil, better and worse, truth and lies, because an act of discrimination might be a reflection of personal bigotry. Indiscriminateness is a moral imperative because its opposite is the evil of having discriminated.
.
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Can you cite a liberal who actually thinks this?
 
Any attack of this sort should of course be utterly condemned as an attack on community (Church) property, as an attack on people’s right to peacefully gather and do what they wish, and because of the damage done to historically-valuable material.

In my view, churches should classify their possessions into those that are of immediate use, but no great value as historical pieces or art; those that are valuable as artifacts or art, and those in each category that are ‘attractive’ as either tradeable for cash, or as targets. There should be a security policy applied which deters thefts and damage and increases the likelihood of detection if it happens. If the Church cannot afford the security, objects should be moved to a Church that can. Of course the best security is people.
 
Hokomai said:
Any attack of this sort should of course be utterly condemned as an attack on community (Church) property, as an attack on people’s right to peacefully gather and do what they wish, and because of the damage done to historically-valuable material.

In my view, churches should classify their possessions into those that are of immediate use, but no great value as historical pieces or art; those that are valuable as artifacts or art, and those in each category that are ‘attractive’ as either tradeable for cash, or as targets. There should be a security policy applied which deters thefts and damage and increases the likelihood of detection if it happens. If the Church cannot afford the security, objects should be moved to a Church that can. Of course the best security is people.
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That’s hardly feasible. What kind of security do you mean? Do you expect churches to build a wall around their compound? Many churches are open to visitors and the faithful to visit and pray as they wish. It is therefore also difficult to stop vandals from taking advantage of it to commit acts like these. Many artifacts are also closely associated with a community and lose their significance when moved to a different church, even if it can somehow provide better security. Should a church’s hundred-year old baptismal font be moved to a different building simply because they “cannot afford the security”?
 
Filii_Dei said:
. Should a church’s hundred-year old baptismal font be moved to a different building simply because they “cannot afford the security”?
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In general yes, if the church wishes to keep it secure, and it cannot be secured in place.
 
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